Where does “вечный огонь” come from?

вечный огонь (Russian) comes from Russian огонь, from Old East Slavic огнь, from Proto-Slavic ogňь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ungnis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁n̥gʷnis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁engʷ- — to burn; fire.

вечный огонь (Russian): eternal flame (flame which burns eternally in memory of someone or something)

Definitions

  1. eternal flame (flame which burns eternally in memory of someone or something)

Ancestry of “вечный огонь”, step by step

вечный огонь traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian огонь

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianогоньfire; light; weapons fire
2Old East Slavicогньfire
3Proto-Slavicogňьfire
4Proto-Balto-Slavicungnisfire
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁n̥gʷnisfire
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁engʷ-to burn; fire

via Russian ве́чный

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianве́чныйeternal, everlasting
2Proto-Slavicvěčьnъeternal
3Proto-Slavicvěkъage
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweyk-to separate, to choose; to contain, to envelop;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁engʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁n̥gʷnis →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic ungnis →